Cancellation of Bath Spa with 71000 20/06 & resulting ramifications

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

Am in a small way involved with mainline steam but my comments are no more naive than yours.

Jamie

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

Then do you not realize that the majority of NR's senior management want main line steam off the network and collate all sorts of statistics to help them justify their actions should that day come.

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

I would love to know how you know that? But we are now getting very off topic.

Jamie

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

Oh dear!

 

Well one ramifications is that 71000 is still sitting at Southall, where it, Tornado and Britannia are all lined up alongside the running line, with Bittern behind Tornado on the next road in, I saw them all there today, but couldn't see Oliver Cromwell.

 

at one point today we had 7 steam loco's on southall so very busy i bet there not been that many on here since the 50-60's;

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

Evidence please? Ultimately, NwR would need solid proof that any form of traction is, universally, unable to perform satisfactorialy to have it banned "off the network". Contracts with operators have "suspension" clauses but I suspect convincing RSSB to remove the 80 or so exemptions from Group Standards that steam needs in order to operate is the only real route to get it banned.

Of course, enthusiasts talking this way due to a persecution complex could encourage people to think it is possible but it really isn't that simple.

I would have thought that NwR would be reassured that problems are being found at FTR instead of causing an in traffic failure. Commercially, further failure to deliver what people had booked for might well have an effect but actually these problems will be seen as signs of a professional and mature approach amongst operators, even if they result in the reverse in other places!

 

71000, 70000, 70013, 60163, 4464, 34067, 9682?

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

So when is the right time to cancel? A number of tours know weeks in advance that the planned locos are not availble - Aviemore and Inverness knew 60009 was not going to be available weeks in advance but thankfully have secured 46115, Weymouth Seaside Expresses have lost both planned locos but no annoucements on replacements. At what point in time do operators give up the ghost and concede they can't run a tour as sold?

 

Re: Bath Spa Express with 71000 20/06

Wish I'd checked on Tuesday night and been aware of 71000's failure! I got up at 4.30AM to drive doen to Parkstone and see it coming up the bank. I was a bit disappointed, to say the least, to find it was cancelled. Still, the Swanage Railway is nearby and the sun shone so not a wasted day, but perhaps a final check might be in order before I get up at such a crazy hour again.